Feeling insecure?

Launceston photographer Tamika McCall, would suggest you step in front of a camera in a professional photography studio.

As a ‘boudoir’ studio, Ms McCall’s photography business aims to exude sensuality.

Backed by over a decade of experience in psychosocial health, Ms McCall, believes the sessions, which she described as more fun than sexy, do wonders for body image.

Luna Bourke poses during a Bonny Photography session.(Supplied: Bonny Photography)

In 2018, Ms McCall, who has a background in wedding photography, started Tasmania’s first boudoir photography studio.

“When I saw what it could do for people, I just knew that I needed to create that safe space,” Ms McCall told Drive Northern Tasmania.

Ms McCall, 36, is one of multiple photographers around the country rewriting conventional beauty standards.

She says she does this by inviting people to honour their bodies in sessions of pampering, playful posing and dressing up in outfits they’ve chosen for themselves, from up to 400 pieces of lingerie or other clothing.

Tamika McCall started Bonny Photography in 2018 when she “saw what it could do for people”.(Supplied: Bonny Photography)

She says once she gets shooting with her clients, it is not sexy at all.

“It’s me showing them how to booty pop and rolling around the floor with them … and it’s a fun experience,” she said.

“I’m asking them to be vulnerable with me and to bare parts of themselves that they’re still trying to love.”

Ms McCall has just over 400 clients, plus an online community of over 1,000 “VIP members” who connect and share their journeys.

“I see so many traditionally beautiful body types in media showing skin, or appearing sensual.

“If we could increase the images we see of all body types in these arenas it would help all people feel seen and appreciated, or enough as they are,” she said.

“The media can have a massive impact on our internal automatic thought patterns and feelings that we play subconsciously, without even realising it.

“You’re coming in for you, you’re not coming in for a workplace or to get a new job. You’re coming in because you want to see yourself in a different light.” 

Tamika says she fosters self-love during sessions with her clients.(Supplied: Bonny Photography)

Armour against outside critiques

Launceston woman and former participant in The Second Chance Biggest Loser, 35-year-old Latisha Butt grew up in the 90s — back when, she said, it was all about “how you physically looked”.

Saying she’s “always been a yoyo-er” when it comes to her weight, Latisha competed on and off in weight-loss competitions and hit the desired weight many times, but found she was never satisfied.

“Even though I was at my smallest, I was mentally not okay,” she said.

Ms Butt said she was a ‘yoyo-er’ during her previous weight-loss journey.(Supplied: Latisha Butt)

The day of her first session at Bonny Photography was in 2020, she said she was feeling so down after a break-up with her then-partner, she almost didn’t make it through the door.

But she said the session transformed her relationship with her body.

“Tamika got me on my saddest day, but still made me look and feel beautiful,” Latisha said.

On getting her photos back, external criticisms of her body continued.

Latisha said others commented on “un-photoshopped” aspects or “unflattering” angles. Although for her, having her authentic self represented in a positive way that celebrated who she was, was pivotal.

“It’s me, it’s who I am, and [those parts of my body] they’re part of me, that’s why they’re there,” she said.

Ms Butt has had three sessions with Bonny Photography since 2020 and learned to love her body throughout that time.(Supplied: Bonny Photography)

Latisha also said she was proud to be challenging online norms of body image content. 

“If somebody else who’s my size, or smaller, or bigger can learn to love their body as well just by seeing mine, then I’m okay with it,” she said.

Re-imagining the status quo

According to various studies, including one by UNSW of 159 women in 2023, the negative hold social media has on body image has long been observed — with the online world being flooded by unattainable and narrow perceptions of the human body.

Another 2023 study, by BMC Public Health, found while many popular Instagram accounts offered credible fitness content, many also contained sexualisation, objectification or promotion of unhealthy or unrealistic body shapes. 

But while thousands of influencers are upholding the beauty status quo, those like Ms McCall are fighting against it by flaunting diversity through their work, nurturing self-acceptance and sharing it all online.

Transgender man Alfie Barker had his first boudoir photography session earlier this year.(Supplied: Bonny Photography)

The previously mentioned 2023 UNSW study found in just a two-week period, viewing even a small amount of body positive or body neutral posts on social media can reduce a woman’s body dissatisfaction and tendency to comparison.

Ms McCall said she works with people no matter what size, shape, or gender.

And on self-acceptance, she said lack of it was a common story often ending with regrets later on in life.

“I think all of us, when we think about when we were the hardest on ourselves, we’d look in the mirror and not be happy with what we’ve seen.

“Then by the time we reach 40, we think, ‘What was I thinking?’ We were so beautiful back then. We should have appreciated it more and loved our bodies more and been kinder to ourselves.”

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